Local governments in Dallas County are poised for a big revenue boost, based on robust property appraisals.

Overall, preliminary taxable property values are up 7 percent from a year ago, according to figures released Friday by the Dallas Central Appraisal District. That’s the biggest increase since the recession, which began in late 2007 and ended in 2009.

The growth in Dallas County was comparable with that in Collin County, which released its preliminary valuations last week.

Last year, Dallas County property values rose 4.3 percent, based on preliminary appraisals. And that was considered a solid rate of growth.

“The economy is better, people are paying more for their homes, people are paying more for real estate in the commercial realm,” said Cheryl Jordan, a spokeswoman for the appraisal district. The county’s appraisals “are just trying to reflect what is happening in the market,” she said.

The total taxable value of property in Dallas County was placed at $182.4 billion. That’s sure to shrink over the next few weeks, as many property owners challenge their appraisals. But county officials who have reviewed the numbers said that even accounting for successful challenges, the total growth in property values should be between 6 percent and 7 percent.

“That is a very healthy increase and is another strong indicator that our local economy is turning around,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said.

Less than a third of the growth came from new construction. The rest is from the rising value of existing property.

The higher appraisals are great news for local governments because property taxes are based on a percentage of the value of commercial and residential real estate. The more property is worth, the more tax revenue rolls in.

But the higher valuations can be frustrating for homeowners, who will pay more in taxes unless governments adjust tax rates — the percentage of a property’s assessed value that is collected in taxes. Such downward adjustments are uncommon.

Given the higher appraisals, the number of protests filed by homeowners has been surprisingly low — 8,279 so far, or 149 fewer than at this time last year.

Property appraisals were mailed late last month. Homeowners and commercial property owners have until June 2 to formally protest real estate valuations.

“We were probably expecting a few more,” said Jordan, the district spokeswoman. “I think people are realizing that the values we have are the real values, and they are accepting of that. They are happy to see their largest asset increase in value.”

Comparing 2013’s preliminary figures with this year’s, almost every government entity that collects property taxes in the county saw growth. The value of taxable property in the city of Dallas and the Dallas Independent School District increased 7.4 percent. Irving’s taxable value climbed 5.6 percent, while Richardson’s grew 5.3 percent.

The only cities to see a loss of overall property value in Dallas County were Combine, Lewisville and Ferris. But the boundaries of each of those three cities extend beyond Dallas County, and the figures released Friday don’t reflect the cities’ overall valuations.

The stout growth across the county is a far cry from a few years ago. Beginning in 2009, cumulative values dropped for three straight years. Appraisals went up a measly 1.7 percent in 2012 before picking up steam last year.

Jenkins said he’d like to use any revenue windfall at the county level to restructure the way sheriff’s department employees are paid. Jenkins favors paying deputies under a “step” system, in which regular raises are based on years of service.

Such a change would require the support of the majority of the Commissioners Court.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said he hadn’t had a chance to discuss with City Manager A.C. Gonzalez what effect higher values might have on budgeting. The mayor estimated roughly that the higher appraisals would result in an additional $10 million to $20 million in city property tax revenue.

That could allow for more spending in areas ranging from information technology and libraries to streets and animal control. The City Council could begin discussing its options next week, Rawlings said.

He cautioned that the council shouldn’t jump at the chance to spend every dollar, even before it’s collected.

“The trick on this stuff is you don’t want to ever get in a place where you’re overforecasting your revenues,” the mayor said.